Previously, many types of hinges have been used in safes in endeavoring to provide an effective means for protecting the hinge from forcible entry. Some prior art has utilized an offset continuous hinge attached to a full width door and the gap on the side of the safe, others have used single hinge leaves with the mating leaf formed integrally with the safe wall structure. An attempt to hide and protect the hinge was developed that included an extended narrow leaf attached to the door and a welded bracket and pin on the inside of the front wall.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 5,666,695 Jegers et al Sep. 16, 1997 5,544,595 Stephenson, III et al Aug. 13, 1996 5,490,306 Floyd et al Feb. 13, 1996 4,878,267 Roach et al Nov. 7, 1989 4,704,970 Sanderson et al Nov. 10, 1987 406,848 Mosler et al Jul. 9, 1889 ______________________________________
Jegers et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,695 teaches a leaf member having a pair of knuckles that include a retainer, which extends into the path of the pin. Annular grooves formed in the pin receive the retainer member and keep it from sliding in or out of the hinge. One of the grooves has a straight side and a tapered side, allowing the pin to slide over the second groove but not the first. The structure of the safe corner is bent to form at least one knuckle and leaf member to mate with the second hinge leaf.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,595, issued to Stephenson, III et al, discloses a hinge arrangement for a gaming device that includes a hinge connecting a door to a cabinet with a gap inbetween when the door is closed. The hinge forms a pocket shaped barrier around the gap with an edge engaging a side of the pocket when pivoted 90 degrees, limiting its travel, precluding damaging adjacent gaming devices when the door is opened.
Floyd et al in their U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,306 is for a security cover for a barrel hinge having an inner cover plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,267, issued to Roach et al, discloses a device for resisting entry of an object into a space between the hinged edge of a door and a jamb using a folded sheet of flexible material.
Sanderson et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,970, teaches a hinge assembly of a planar-surfaced mounting bracket and a J-shaped leaf member. A mounting bracket, in hex shape, is welded to the inner surface of the safe cabinet and the leaf member includes a pin that is retained by the bracket. The leaf member penetrates an open section of the frame and forms a door stop when contiguously abutting therebetween.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related, reference may be made to the remaining cited patent issued to Mosler et al.